Game dev

Ok, I have a question about code development and not about coding itself. I was talking with a friend and we were wondering why it takes so long to maximize the graphical potential of a gaming console (PS2/XBOX) when there were no hardware or software updates affecting the graphical potential of the system. It took like six years to maximize this potential (consider the difference between Tony Hawk 3 compared to God of War 2) and I'd figure that these developers, with their vast prior experience, would be able to hit the peak a lot faster. Why does it take so long to maximize the graphical potential of a gaming console? Is the coding done that horribly early on? Or is something else at play like it's a new programming language with the inception of every console? Thanks.

I think alot of it has to do with the new stuff that's instroduced in with new consoles. With new consoles, lots of things can be done differently. Plus, at the beginning, new games are always rushed (OK, all games are rushed, but even more so at first)